LandSouth Leadership Series – Bob McDonald

LandSouth Leadership Series – Bob McDonald

Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others. —Jack Welch

Leaders rarely just appear. They emerge after years of hard work and experience, sharing what they have learned along the way with the people around them, and giving credit where credit is due. Strong, successful leaders know what it takes to get things done and are happy and eager to assist others in their quest for success.

LandSouth Construction is fortunate to have several leaders who meet these descriptions. Over the next several months, we will introduce these leaders and share a bit more about their philosophies, their journeys to leadership, and how they envision LandSouth’s future. Most important – we’ll dive into how they empower their teams and guide them in making LandSouth the best multifamily construction company in the Southeast.

Meet Bob McDonald, LandSouth Division Manager with three decades of experience. Bob grew up in the business. A lot of people say that, but for Bob it’s true. Bob’s first taste of work in the construction industry was in the footsteps of his father, his biggest mentor – who owned a small roofing company. From the beginning, he witnessed firsthand the value of hard work and what it really takes to succeed. He saw the long hours and the commitment to getting the job done. Bob also discovered that carrying shingles is one of the hardest jobs and that it was time for him to head to college.

People often talk about climbing the ladder of success. In some cases, people skip a few rungs. Not Bob. He checked off every rung along the way. From field engineer to assistant project manager to project manager to Director of Construction, and now to Division Manager – Bob worked his way up, just like carrying the shingles up to the roof.

Today, Bob is responsible for overseeing between six and nine projects a year valuing between $30M and $60M each and working directly with two or three top developers. Overseeing means there are no typical days while coordinating all efforts with the team, including:

  • Finalizing construction budgets with the estimating department
  • Working through issues with developers Empowering the field teams and project managers to push the construction schedule
  • Working through subcontractor issues and material delays
  • Mitigating risk by identifying problems before they happen by applying lessons learned
  • Putting team members in the best position to succeed

That is Bob’s most important responsibility – helping his teams and people be successful. This happens by putting people in the right roles and supporting them along the way. Don’t simply tell them what to do or how to do something. Help them find solutions to problems and discover better ways of doing things.

According to Bob, the ability and willingness to do these things is what makes LandSouth so special. In his two years with LandSouth, Bob loves the investment the company makes in their people. From training to innovative tools and the latest software to celebrations of success, LandSouth provides their people with the best chances to succeed. No one at LandSouth settles. They challenge each other and strive to always do things better. “We want to be the best general contractor in the Southeast,” Bob stated.” Maybe not the biggest, but definitely the best.”

It all starts at the top and Bob McDonald embodies this drive for excellence. So, how does he empower his teams?

By clearly defining roles and making sure everyone understands their responsibilities and how they work together. He’s proactive and listens to his teams. They are the boots on the ground and are key in identifying problems and creating the right solutions. But more than anything, Bob believes in loyalty and accountability, and it starts with him. He holds himself accountable for his teams’ success. It’s his responsibility to help them get where they need and want to be. Treat everyone fairly and expect the best out of them Lead by example and there is no substitute for hard work.

Leading by example means living the LandSouth core values and living them with balance. Bob is dedicated to his family, fitness, and football – spending as much time with his teenage children and instilling in them the values and commitment that his father instilled in him.

For more information visit www.landsouth.com or call 904.273.6004

ABOUT LANDSOUTH CONSTRUCTION…BUILDING IDEAS

LandSouth Construction, the Southeast’s premier general contractor, specializing in multifamily, senior living, and mixed-use development, was named one of Engineering News Record’s Top 400. Since 1998, LandSouth has transformed ideas into best–in–class communities. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla. LandSouth has completed more than 25,000 multifamily units. For more information, call LandSouth’s Marketing Coordinator, Kaley Robinson, (904) 760-3188, or visit www.landsouth.com